"That is quite another thing," said Isa, laughing. "But if so, he
has not taken me into his confidence. Perhaps he has you."

"Oh no. He would not do that, I think. Not but what we are great
friends, and I love him dearly. Would it not be nice for you and
him to be betrothed?"

"That depends on many things, my dear."

"Oh yes, I know. Perhaps he has not got money enough. But you
could live here, you know, and he has got some money, because he so
often rides on horseback." And then the matter was dropped between
the two sisters.

Herbert had given English lessons to the two girls, but the lessons
had been found tedious, and had dwindled away. Isa, nevertheless,
had kept up her exercises, duly translating German into English, and
English into German; and occasionally she had shown them to her
cousin. Now, however, she altogether gave over such showing of
them, but, nevertheless, worked at the task with more energy than
before.

"Isa," he said to her one day,--having with some difficulty found
her alone in the parlour, "Isa, why should not we go on with our
English?"

"Because it is troublesome,--to you I mean."

"Troublesome. Well; yes; it is troublesome. Nothing good is to be